Journey to a Healthy Life

It's Been a LONG time!

2010-07-28T07:51:00.002-04:00

WOW- it's been a super long time- I need to get this up and going again- I need the accountability that even though more than likely there is noone out there reading this- I need the incentive just in case :) So, here we go- I have hired a trainer who will spend 4 weeks (or more if I choose) working to help me make better choices. I'm trying and hoping to see results- my big thing is my food and making it all work- I need to be better about recording my food choices- I did really well the first time I did that here so I am going to work on that again and see if it helps at all.

This morning I did do my circuit that my trainer has me doing and then tonight I'm heading to Zumba :) Off to take a shower and then eat some breakfast...

Tuesday

2009-07-07T10:31:00.001-04:00

Breakfast- lean pocket and 8 oz. milk

Lunch- Chick-Fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich, 20 oz. diet coke, and waffle fries (someone else was buying my lunch and I didn't feel right having them pay extra for fruit)

Snack- whole wheat bagel

Dinner- Salsa Chicken (chicken, salsa, black beans, and some cheese all in the crockpot), 1 cup brown rice

I did not get all of my water in because I forgot to bring some in from the car and so it wasn't cold and I don't do ice water if I can help it. I actually did really well today other than the water.

whew buddy

2009-07-05T22:15:00.001-04:00

Not doing so well so far. But, I know that if I can get myself on track I can make a difference. I am looking forward to Friday and praying I get released to do some more exercise. I actually WANT to go to the gym and exercise and that's a huge plus!

So it's been a while

2009-07-01T09:13:00.001-04:00

A LONG while and I realized that I need to get my rear in gear. I have had surgery which SHOULD make it easier to exercise once I have been cleared to do so. I realized that while I was keeping up over here and documenting my food choices I was making much better choices then what I am making currently so, I'm going to start over on this July 1. :)

Breakfast: 1 whole wheat bagel with cream cheese (just a thin coating), 1 banana, 16.9 oz. water

Still here

2009-04-16T21:41:00.001-04:00

AND STRUGGLING! I will say though- after the Biggest Loser episode the other night the one thing that I took away from it was this: Don't give up. Even when it seems like you have fallen/failed, don't give up because you never know what might happen!

Those who watch it know I'm referring to Tara in the challenge!

Giveaway

2009-03-24T22:31:00.001-04:00

Here's a 30 Day shred/water bottle giveaway! What a GREAT opportunity over here at Coupon Geek

Monday

2009-02-16T19:49:00.002-05:00

Well, I bought The Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga this weekend and completed the first 30 minutes of it (level 1) before I went to work today. Then after school I completed Level 2 of the 30 Day Shred and Level 1 of The Biggest Loser Boot Camp (I go back and forth between Level 1 and Level 2).

And, according to Sparkpeople I had 1,665 calories (which was 25 over), 266 carbs (16 over). Again- not a typical day of eating (Today was an inservice day so we went out for lunch and went to Subway which meant I had both lunch and dinner taken care of. So, I'm going to try to do more tracking on Sparkpeople because it takes the guesswork out of it.

Starting the food recording with a new week

2009-02-15T22:01:00.002-05:00

Sunday's intake

breakfast-

1 banana

1 serving cheerios (with 1 cup skim milk)

2 multigrain waffles

lunch-

2 slices turkey on a croissant with 1 cup of lettuce and cucumbers

1 handful of chips with dip

snack- handful of animal crackers, 1 banana

dinner-

1 cup mac and cheese (whole grain)

1 cup peas

1 apple

1/2 cup grapes

This is not my typical Sunday meal. I don't normally have carbs at lunch or chips. I was at a meeting and it was either the turkey or chicken salad and since I can't have celery I couldn't have the chicken salad.

I have also had 60.7 oz. of water (so far- I have another bottle to drink)

I've been busy

2009-02-12T22:02:00.002-05:00

with school, life, trying to eat healthy, and exercising regularly so I haven't posted much. But, I will say that I have been working my tail off. It's a bit frustrating- my clothes are looser, I can tell I have lost weight (inches?), others have told me they can tell and yet, the scale seems STUCK!!! Very, very, very frustrating. I'm going to keep at it though and something will give! I'm also going to make more of an effort to record my food intake (both here and sparkpeople). I think that may be part of my issue. In fact, after watching The Biggest Loser this week and seeing how not eating the complex carbs was affecting the father-son team made me do some thinking. So, I'm going to start with recording my food and go from there!

30 Day Shred Giveaway

2009-02-12T21:51:00.002-05:00

You have until Feb. 14th to enter- check it out: It's a Lifelong Journey

Check out your chance to win Jillian Michaels' The 30 Day Shred

Just a few thoughts

2009-01-17T23:29:00.002-05:00

Well, I started the journey on Jan. 1, 2009, so I am making it an effort to weigh in officially on Thursdays, that way it's consistent. I'm struggling- my body took a while this week to adjust to eating veggies that I haven't eaten in so long. I am still hoping to get in touch with a nutritionist somehow. My doctor's office didn't call me back so I'll have to call again on Monday. In the meantime since Jan. 1 I have officially dropped 1.6 pounds. Hopefully more will come off as I add in more exercise. Right now I'm doing right at 30 minutes or so (I'm doing J.M. 30 Day Shred so it's closer to 25) but within the next week I want to add some more cardio back in (which is what I was doing before I got sick with the kidney stones). I'm hoping to ward off the pain and the weight both with this. Anyway, that's where things are right now. Hope you are having a fabulous new year and that 2009 becomes the year where change happens!

Diagnosis and where to go from here

2009-01-12T19:13:00.002-05:00

Well, I got a diagnosis for the health issues that have been going on. I have medullary sponge kidney. I've had it since birth but usually people never find out they have it until they pass away. I also read that if it decides to show up it shows up usually in the 30s and 40s. Since I am 33 I fit that :) however, it's not fatal, the only thing that will change will be my eating habits. No more chocolate, no more parsley, no nuts, and no spinach (among many other things) and then I have a LOT of foods to eat sparingly. In fact, there are more foods that I can't eat than I can. I'm hoping to speak to a nutritionist soon so that I can get a better idea on it because I'm overwhelmed with it all. On the other hand- the dietary restrictions will prevent them from getting bigger which will help me in the long run. I should note- when I say them- I'm speaking of kidney stones- I have them in the "meaty" part of the kidney and they will more than likely never pass. So, that's where things stand right now. Thanks for sticking with me!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T21:46:00.002-05:00

We start a new year and that means setting goals. Due to the kidney stones I have had to readjust my lifestyle once again. So my goal this year is just to get healthier- in my food choices and in my exercise. I'm clearing out my tickers and starting fresh for a new year! Thanks for your support and I look forward to seeing the scale go down in 2009.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T19:47:00.003-05:00

I have been having some health issues (I found out that I have kidney stones in both kidneys and they are, for some reason, not passing so I will have a dr. appt on January 9). On a related note- I have cut out all soda and am on day 6 of no soda. My goal is to not have anything but water and juice until my appt and see what he says. There's a small possibility from what I have read that some of the south beach diet has caused this but I am not sure and will not know anything for sure until the dr. appt.

Merry Christmas to all!

MIA

2008-12-15T21:38:00.002-05:00

I have been MIA- I have been working a lot and have not been feeling well. In fact, tomorrow (Tuesday) I'm heading to get a CT scan done in the a.m. to check for possible gallstones or kidney stones. Hopefully I'll know the results soon but if not then I will head to the dr. on Thursday where I am sure she is going to go over things with me.

just Frustrated

2008-11-30T19:31:00.003-05:00

I really WANT to make a change- however, I don't know what it is- I don't know if it's just tiredness, laziness, or what that just can't muster up the motivation to do so! I'll start again tomorrow and see what I can do. Any advice anyone?

motivation

2008-11-24T22:26:00.001-05:00

Just trying to get motivated. I had a really busy week last week and of course that led to not having a chance to exercise. I really need to get back in that but I am struggling with that. However, I am going to post a quote that a friend of mine posted in a thread on SCS. It's really good! Let me know what you think:

"Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles, and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started NOW. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident, and more and more successful."

Mark Victor Hansen

Just some things to think about!

An Excellent Blog Post

2008-11-17T21:17:00.001-05:00

A fellow stamper posted this blog post on Sunday. It's excellent and some great info in it. Go check it out and let me know if you tried any of these.

Still hanging around and still doing okay

2008-11-16T18:40:00.003-05:00

The weight is going down- slowly but surely. Not as quickly as I would like but I know of two more things that would get it down faster. To add more cardio into my exercise- right now it's just the 30 Day Shred or get to the gym. However, due to my schedule the first is more likely to happen- at least until the first of the year. I know this is my healthy living blog but I wanted to show my goal cards that I made and are hanging on my fridge right now. If you want to see details you can go find them at my other blog The Journey of Life.

Review

2008-11-08T19:28:00.003-05:00

Oh my goodness- just giving a review of the Jillian Michaels The 30 Day Shred dvd workout!

I borrowed this from a friend (and ordered my own copy this afternoon) because I did level 1 last night. I worked harder then I have in a LONG time (and I did a hard step class on Tuesday also). I highly recommend this workout because she's encouraging you through it and has modifications for those who need modifications. Obviously I thought highly of it since I ordered it :)

Let me know your thoughts on this!

Elliptical and strength training

2008-11-03T18:38:00.002-05:00

I really need to go to the gym or use my Biggest Loser DVD's but instead I chose to use my elliptical and some five lb. weights. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and 10 min. (several reps) of various exercises using the weights. I'm going to check out Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. I really need to kick it into gear. Have a GREAT day!

Still Around- I promise!

2008-11-02T15:21:00.001-05:00

I'm still here- have been exercising and trying to watch what I eat- unfortunately the pounds are not going down as quickly as I want them to. Oh well, it will come- I need to kick it up a notch!

I did fix a yummy lunch today based on a dinner I had at church on Wednesday. I made it a little more SB friendly.

Pizza Pasta

Whole Wheat pasta

1 jar of pizza sauce

1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce (thought it was more pizza sauce but found out it was spaghetti sauce)

1/2 block of Mozzarella cheese

1 serving (about 20 pieces) of turkey pepperoni

Make pasta and then pour cooked pasta and all other ingredients mixing them together. Put cheese all over the top (you can mix it up but I didn't). Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and it's warmed through.

YUMMY!

I'm doing okay

2008-10-07T20:21:00.002-04:00

After some back issues I have started working my way back into exercise! I did 30 minutes yesterday- and I have been watching what I eat as well. However, today- I feel like a slug- so, not too sure what's up with that. Hope everyone out there is doing well!

Watching the Biggest Loser!

It's been a while

2008-10-01T22:09:00.003-04:00

I have been slacking in the dept. of keeping up with this blog. I'm trying to watch what I eat and have good days and bad days. However, I try to shake off the bad days and start fresh the next day. I'm trying to keep myself more accountable- in the food dep. and the exercise dep. Right about the time I was getting ready to go back to the gym, my back went out. I wasn't allowed/released to exercise for over a week. And, since then I haven't had time. I know a lot of people make that excuse and it really shouldn't be one. I am struggling with prioritizing my time- especially in this area which I know is so very important! I'll work on it- I promise! I am going to be very detailed in this because I have to type it up to give to someone and it's just easier to put it in one place!

Breakfast:

1 low carb- 100% whole wheat tortilla- 70 calories, 7 g total carbs, 3 g fiber

1 TBS peanut butter- 95 calories, 3.5 g total carbs, 1 g fiber (this is half a serving- which I had the other half later)

1 SB cereal bar (I don't get any time for a snack between 7 and my lunch at 11)-

Lunch:

Grilled chicken salad with lettuce, spinach (I think- usually it does), half a hard-boiled egg, broccoli, cheese, 3 TBS Ranch dressing, grilled chicken, cucumbers (usually). It's a decent sized salad

s-f jello

10 mini carrots

Snack- SB snack bar (at 2:00)

Snack- 17 100% whole wheat wheat thin crackers and 2 oz. of 2% colby jack cheese (around 4:30)

Dinner:

grilled chicken patty/filet from McD's-no bread, condiments, JUST the chicken. My SB dining guide states that at their press time it had 180 calories, 7 g fat, 2 g carbs, 0 g fiber

Fruit and Walnut salad with no nuts- SB dining guide states- 170 calories, 1 g fat, 38 g carbs, 4 g fiber

snack after church- SF pudding, 1 TBS peanut butter (same stats as above)

Water- 24 oz. before 7:30, another 20 oz. by 11, 12 oz., plus 20 oz. plus the 12 oz. I'm drinking right now. I think that's it. I also had a 20 oz. diet mountain dew and about another 20 oz. of diet mtn. dew.

Starting on Thursday I'll try to keep up with it as I eat!

Starting Fresh/Priorities

2008-09-07T23:34:00.002-04:00

Okay- so, I know I have started over/started fresh many times BUT this is going to be again! I have a tendency to let myself get carried away with eating when I hit phase 2 and that has happened again. I'm cracking down on myself to do it-with the right motivation this time! I know that it's not going to be any different until I make the change myself. I need to make exercise a priority. I'm going to work on that and in fact, my first goal for the week is going to be to exercise at least two times this week for 30 minutes (or a total of an hour throughout the week). It may not seem like a lot but hopefully will get myself back on track and motivated!

still around

2008-08-29T11:12:00.001-04:00

I really am still here- things have just been crazy since school started back up. I hope to be back this weekend with more!

Doesn't this just sound YUMMY

2008-07-30T11:15:00.001-04:00

okay- I'll have to come back and try again later- it won't let me copy it.

Still with it

2008-07-29T19:02:00.002-04:00

I'm sticking with the SB- it's so hot though that I don't want to eat much so I'm afraid that when I go to add back in foods it will be a step backwards. I'm still struggling with the exercise portion. I just have to know that when I get back into my daily routine I will start going back to the gym. I am housesitting right now and they have an awesome treadmill BUT I have only used it once. I need to get my rear in gear and get out of bed in the a.m. so that I can use it. The one good thing is that I have been working at school and doing quite a bit of lifting and pushing and pulling so that has helped some. I start Phase 2 on Monday! Which just happens to be our first day back to school.

Phase 1 Day 2

2008-07-22T06:49:00.002-04:00

I started the exercising today. I decided to start out using the Phase 1 exercise plan from South Beach Supercharged. You start out with 5 minutes of warm up walking then do 15 seconds of fast walking then 60 seconds of regular walking. You do 8 cycles of the 15/60 and then I did 5 minutes of a cool down walk. For right now I'm doing all of this on the elliptical although I will add the treadmill later this week. I am signing up for a 1 mile Fun Walk for August 2 and I don't want to be huffing and puffing after a mile. Will be back later to record other fun stuff for the day!

Phase 1 Day 1

2008-07-21T22:10:00.002-04:00

Today was finally day 1 of phase 1. I'm a little concerned if I'm going to be able to get two weeks of this- but I'll figure it all out. It will be a bit easier once Friday comes and it's payday and I can go grocery shopping.

Breakfast- 1/4 of leftover grilled turkey sausage
Lunch- turkey slices with cheese and jello
snack- mixed nuts (Planters sb approved)
Dinner- 3 eggs, scrambled with cheese.

I have NOT had all my water today but I have had the recommended amount of liquid. I also didn't make it up to exercise this morning. Hopefully I'll be able to get there tomorrow. I also know that I need to eat veggies but honestly I didn't have any here at home that were handy so I'll up my consumption of them tomorrow.

Starting Over

2008-07-08T07:45:00.002-04:00

Starting something over is never easy but this time I am doing it with the help and encouragement from friends. A few friends of mine decided to a Biggest Loser competition so for the next 6 months we will weigh in every two weeks and it will be recorded. I will pay $25 and the "winner" gets the whole pot of $125. I'm excited about this and excited that I have friends along with me on the journey. Due to my cousin's wedding I am starting 100% s.b. next Monday when I return. Thanks for reading and for joining me on the journey!

Starting Over

2008-07-03T09:04:00.002-04:00

I'm starting over on July 5. I know I need to get myself under control. I was looking at some very recent pictures and was very disgusted with myself and how I looked. So, here we go again!

Why is it so hard?

2008-06-05T20:36:00.002-04:00

Why is it so hard to stay on track? I know what I need to do and I WANT to do it but making those right choices are hard. I need to find a balance between wanting and doing. I am struggling with my eating choices. I'm not completely out of control but I have gained weight back and feel generally blah about myself. I have been having horrible headaches and know that they are connected to my weight. I have a hard time drinking enough water in the summer (which you would think would be the opposite). I need someone to challenge me- to walk along beside me-to hold me accountable. To ask- have I been to the gym (no, i haven't in months), have I recorded what I have eaten (no, I haven't in at least a month)? So, is there anyone who can help me out and step up to the challenge with me?

This weekend

2008-04-27T16:52:00.002-04:00

This weekend was not such a great weekend in terms of food choices. I went to a retreat this weekend and the food was GREAT (tasting)- not so great for you. However, I had been making adjustments for that throughout the week and don't feel that I did too bad (although I felt yuck after eating). I am sure it's going to show a gain on Tuesday but that means I get back on the saddle and start fresh on Monday.

So Excited!

2008-04-22T06:40:00.002-04:00

I am so excited! All the watching of the food is really helping. Being conscious of the foods I eat are going to make a huge difference. I have seen a loss of 4.4 lbs. this month. While that may not seem like a lot it's enough of a jumpstart to get my body going! YEAH! Now, to keep up the momentum. This weekend I am going to a retreat where I am unsure what the food choices will be so I will have to be diligent this week and early next week in the chance that my weekend choices will not be that great.

B-fast- yogurt and a jelly roll-up on whole wheat low-carb tortilla

lunch- chicken salad (chicken and m.w.), jello, no sugar added pears

A New Outlook

2008-04-12T21:32:00.002-04:00

I have really struggled the last few weeks with staying motivated. Between not feeling well, frustrated because I know I'm not eating "great", and just a general blah and tiredness I have just not had any type of motivation to do anything. I feel guilty if I don't work out,I feel guilty if I do (lack of sleep), I feel guilty if I eat something remotely off SB, etc. I finally realized that I have been trying to focus on too much at the same time. I made a conscious decision that I was going to focus on one thing at a time for a week. For the first week it was getting back into eating right. I decided that if I made it to the gym during that week- great, if not then I wasn't going to beat myself up over it. I started writing down in my notebook everything that crossed my lips. And you know what- it's worked. I have been more conscious in my food choices and I don't feel like I'm killing myself to eat healthy. The next step will be to add the exercise in. I have a goal. I want to be down 8 lbs. from where I started the month. In the first week I gained three so I now have 11 but I'm determined!

Tuesday!

2008-04-01T20:19:00.002-04:00

B-fast- total bowl of cereal with skim milk and a banana

lunch- hamburger (no bun) , green beans, s-f jello and an apple

snack- fiber one bar, string cheese

dinner- hamburger (no bun), green beans, sun chips

i made it!

2008-03-31T11:14:00.002-04:00

To the gym this a.m. You all have no idea how hard it is to get up in the a.m. at 4:00, workout then teach all day. However, this is parent conference week so I needed to get my rear into gear and get over there! So, I made it in this morning. I only did a half mile due to time and didn't push my speed (but ran for longer periods of time).

b-fast- bowl of total cereal with skim milk, fiber one yogurt

lunch- grilled chicken (leftover from t.r.), broccoli, and 1 roll, jello

wed

2008-03-26T11:18:00.000-04:00

b-fast- total cereal with skim milk, banana

lunch turky, brown rice, 10 baby carrots, apple

Boohoo!

2008-03-24T08:16:00.003-04:00

Today is the last day of spring break. We were supposed to have an inservice day but my school is going through SACS so we got today off. Tomorrow is it until the end of the year. However, it's hard to believe that it's almost here. 9 weeks left- basically right around 45 days. WOW!

b-fast-pb and j sandwich on whole wheat bread (the j is low sugar)

Stress is a kicker!

2008-03-15T10:33:00.002-04:00

I did real well yesterday morning and had no appetite at lunch yesterday (I'll share that in a minute) and then for dinner I ended up at chick fil a. CFA is one of my fave places to eat- I even like the grilled chicken and love the fact that you can get fruit. The problem(s): I was traveling (too hard to eat fruit when driving) and I was stressed. So, what did I get- a chicken nugget value meal with fries- I guess I should not be too hard on myself- I really did do well the rest of the day and I just know that means I'll have to work a bit harder. That meant this morning I pushed myself out of bed and got my tail down to the Y (my dad arranged for some free visits while I visit them) and worked out for about 50 minutes. You can definitely tell the difference between the Y and the Rush (where I go)- you can tell the Y is non profit and the Rush is for profit. I love the atmosphere at the Y (although this one is really small) but my Rush is a great facility- state of the art- lots of machines, lots of cardio, etc. It even has a climbing wall that moves (I don't know how to really explain that). I did get a good workout and sweated a lot- it's the first time I have worked out in a week and I needed it.

Now- on to the stress part of my day- yesterday morning at the school where I teach we got word that one of our second graders attempted to hang himself the night before. That of course was on my mind all day long and I really struggled with my emotions. I thought about it a lot on the drive to my parents house. I'll be praying for the little guy.

Breakfast: 1/2 pb sandwich, 2 slices cheese

Here's What I have Decided

2008-03-13T21:18:00.002-04:00

Ever since I have been sick I have had the hardest time remaining strong in my food choices, getting up the motivation to workout (even though I know I need to), and even blogging about it. So, I am going to give myself a kickstart by doing a week of Phase 1 to get myself back in the mindset of the lifestyle again. I am going to commit to blogging on a regular basis- I have to- it's the only way to keep myself accountable. If anyone has any tips I am open to them!

2008-03-06T21:31:00.001-05:00

Well, had my last session with the trainer tonight and she gave me some great exercises to do. I'm going to take some time this weekend to set up some type of excel/word table fitness log that I can take with me. But I'm going to try to make it smaller (index card size) so that it will be easier to carry around with me. I will share more about the journey and how it's going this weekend!

Went to the doctor yesterday

2008-02-28T09:37:00.002-05:00

I did go to the dr. yesterday and at the time I wasn't running a temp. However, he did say that there is a secondary infection going around for people who have had the flu. Apparently they have had a lot of people in with it. Well, he gave me an antibiotic and then sent me on my way. By mid- afternoon I had to cancel all my appts. for today because after not having a temp at the dr. my temp jumped up to 102.5. It's finally going down but still holding steady at 100.7. I really can't afford to miss another day of work. I have the days but I don't want to keep using them and because I had to switch my dr. appt that's another day off in April.

Sick again

2008-02-26T19:09:00.001-05:00

Well, I am sick again. I have a temp of 100.5 and a horrific cough. On a good note- I have lost 15.2 lbs. since Jan. 1. I'll be back when I feel better

2008-02-25T22:06:00.002-05:00

"The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach."– Benjamin Mays

I got this quote through my email yesterday and thought that it was perfect for this journey and so many others as well. The key is having a goal to reach for- that way you have something to motivate you. It's kind of silly but I have a goal. I have a skirt that I bought before I gained my weight back. It's brand new- still has the tags on it and yesterday, I finally got it on and buttoned. It's still a bit tight because I still have a ways to go but I know that if I can lose 5-10 more pounds that skirt will fit and I'll have reached that goal! Something little but tangible.

Breakfast- yogurt, cereal bar
Lunch- leftover w.w. pasta, carrots, jello
Snack- popcorn (it was a weak moment)
dinner- chicken (cooked in the skillet in olive oil and P.C. Southwestern Seasoning), green beans

beverages= water, water, water, dt. dew.

Sunday

2008-02-24T11:24:00.004-05:00

Well, I decided against going out to eat- as much as I enjoy spending time with my friends my finances are not really at the point where I can go eat where they did. I had the cash but I decided I would eat what I had at home instead. Besides the fact it's healthier for me. I looked online and the rest. only had regular pasta and not whole wheat. Maybe I could campaign for that. I don't understand- restaurants know that there are many people who want to eat healthy and yet they have limited portions available for doing so. Who knows!

Breakfast- 1/2 pb sand. on whole wheat bread, SB cereal bar
Snack- SB cereal bar, 1/2 banana streusel muffin
Lunch- whole wheat pasta with ICBINB and parm. cheese
Snack-
Dinner- leftover whole wheat pasta with a slice of bread

Beverages: as of 11;30= 2 16.9 oz. bottles of water. I also just made some Crystal Light Lemonade in a pitcher to have around.

I really am not a slacker

2008-02-23T20:16:00.002-05:00

I have been exercising and eating right (for the most part) but I just haven't been blogging about it. Tomorrow starts a new week so I'm going to plan on starting again. Some friends are going to Gondolier after church tomorrow and I need to figure out if I am going to go. I can get grilled chicken but the sides are not all that great to choose from. I'll have to peruse the menu a bit more before making any decisions. I will say that I made it to 500 minutes. I exercised this morning for 45 minutes which puts my 25 minutes on the plus side. I have to figure out if I'm going to restart my ticker or just add to it.

ETA- I decided to just add to the ticker- I'll just add 500 minutes everytime I hit the next goal. I think that my "splurge" will be a couple of crafting markers that are a bit pricier than what I normally would spend. After my next 500 I'm going to get a new pair of tennis shoes. I will definitely be due by then!

So Close

2008-02-20T14:16:00.002-05:00

to 500 minutes! I'll be hitting this on Friday or Saturday morning (whenever I decide to go). I'm so excited. Payday is Monday so I am trying to think of a suitable-yet cheap- reward for making my 500 minutes. Any ideas?!?!

yuck

2008-02-15T09:58:00.001-05:00

Well, nothing derails a workout routine like the flu! Yep, I have the flu. It really stinks because I'm so tired and not hungry and there's no way I can work out. The meds made me tired and dizzy so I'm home today hoping to rest it off. Anyway, hope you all have a fab weekend!

Breakfast- banana

Down to 110 minutes

2008-02-12T06:48:00.001-05:00

I know I should be further along but I'm pretty excited- I should have my 500 minutes of exercising done by mid week next week- even possibly by Saturday morning of this week. How exciting! No weigh-in today because I went to the gym- weigh in will be tomorrow.

Breakfast- scrambled eggs, apple, cereal bar, banana (4 am-pre-workout)

No quote today

2008-02-11T20:38:00.001-05:00

Life just got a bit busy today and I didn't have a chance to find a good and meaningful quote. I will look to see if I can find one for tomorrow. I don't have much time tonight as I need to work on progress reports for my kids. They are due to be turned in on Wednesday and I need to get as many done tonight as possible.

Sunday

2008-02-10T17:08:00.000-05:00

Breakfast- cereal bar and banana

snack- bowl of fruit

lunch- naked burrito- black beans, chicken, lettuce, tomato, mild salsa, sour cream and ranch- without the tortilla

snack

dinner

beverages- 3 bottles of 16.9 oz. water- working on the fourth

I've decided

2008-02-07T21:06:00.001-05:00

that my trainer is trying to kill me! I know that she's not really but WOW my body is already feeling the effects of my work with her tonight. Apparently I have major muscle tension which affects how I exercise and how I stand. One big thing I have to work on is the core. I know that if I get that strengthened I will have better balance and will have fewer back problems. Anyway- this week I wasn't down much weight wise- about.4 pounds but I now have under 30 to go to get to goal!

Weigh-in Tuesday

2008-02-05T22:20:00.000-05:00

has been moved to Wednesday this week. I got up and went to the gym today so I didn't get to weigh in before school like normal so I will weigh in tomorrow morning.

Quote for today!

2008-02-04T17:58:00.000-05:00

I got this quote through my email last week and I'm loving this one! It is a really good with a lot to think about. In fact, I would like for you to comment with your thoughts on this. You can comment on your own blog and put a link or you can comment in the comment section. I will add my thoughts in a couple of days.

"Once the 'what' is decided, the 'how' always follows. We must not make the 'how' an excuse for not facing and accepting the 'what'." -Pearl S. Buck

Quick Question

2008-01-31T22:03:00.000-05:00

I am looking at purchasing an ipod or something similar and am looking for good workout songs suggestions. I don't do anything that's not "clean" but I definitely don't mind a good beat. I have a good list started but I want hear what you all have to add!

New Trainer

2008-01-31T20:16:00.001-05:00

My trainer, Ingrid, is so understanding and compassionate- yet I think in the two sessions that I have left with her she is going to kick my rear! Today was just a beginning session- measurements, questions, and cardio "test". She showed me which machines to use and work on until next Thursday when I will go in again. Anyway, that's all I have for today!

Breakfast- peanut butter and bananas on whole heat tortilla

Lunch- 2 turkey burgers with cheese and brown rice (leftovers), fruit, s-f pudding

Snack1 SB snack bar

Snack 2- Fiber One bar

Snack 3- banana

dinner- SB sub sandwich (brand new- and it was GOOD)

water- about 60 ounces

No Workout Wednesday

2008-01-30T21:07:00.000-05:00

So the workout this morning didn't happen. I was extremely tired this morning. We had a really bad storm last night and my power went out about 11:15 and didn't come back on until 4:15 this morning. I didn't quite feel up to getting up this morning. Tomorrow evening at 6 is when I am meeting my new trainer so I may share a bit tomorrow night about how that went!

Breakfast- peanut butter and banana tortilla, sb cereal bar

Lunch- SB chicken and walnut salad kit (YUM) with s-f jello, fruit, tomato soup (small bowl)

Snack- SB snack bar

Snack 2- string cheese

Snack 3 (about 5)- SB meal bar

Dinner (8ish)- 2 turkey burgers (with cheese and no bun), brown rice with ICBINB and 2 % cheese (about 1/4 ounce)

Beverages- over 70 ounces

Weigh In Tuesday

2008-01-29T18:39:00.000-05:00

I lost another 1.8 pounds which takes me to 11.2 pounds total since January 1. I'm pretty excited about that= slow and steady right? Anyway, I don't really have any thoughts on this but after I share my food log I'm going to include a few of the 100 tips for weight loss. I will include the link in case you want to read them all before I get to it.

Breakfast- Kashi cereal and skim milk
Lunch- SB turkey wraps, jello, fruit (apples, bananas, and grapes)
Snack- 10 raw carrots
snack 2- SB snack bar
Snack 3- SB granola clusters
Dinner- Campbells Chunky Sirloin Burger and veggie soup, 2 slices of bread- 1 with I can't believe it's not butter and 1 with peanut butter
Beverages- 60 plus ounces of water, 8 oz. Cherry coke zero

100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever

I Can Only Handle One Diet Change Right Now. What Should I Do?
1. Add just one fruit or veggie serving daily. Get comfortable with that, then add an extra serving until you reach 8 to 10 a day.

2. Eat at least two servings of a fruit or veggie at every meal.

3. Resolve never to supersize your food portions—unless you want to supersize your clothes.

4. Make eating purposeful, not mindless. Whenever you put food in your mouth, peel it, unwrap it, plate it, and sit. Engage all of the senses in the pleasure of nourishing your body.

5. Start eating a big breakfast. It helps you eat fewer total calories throughout the day.

6. Make sure your plate is half veggies and/or fruit at both lunch and dinner

Motivational Monday

2008-01-28T21:09:00.000-05:00

I don't really have a quote for today- I found one I want to share but I'm waiting on getting permission from the person who first posted it (although it's not her quote). Just leaving you with some thought-provoking questions. Why am I on this journey? Is it for me or for someone else? What am I trying to accomplish? What are my goals? When do I want to see those goals accomplished? What am I willing to sacrifice to reach these goals? Or, how much of a priority are my goals?

I joined a new gym today. I like the Y but it's very small and doesn't have the motivation for me. I ended up joining a larger gym and paid for three hours of a trainer (all I have to say is that I am in the wrong line of work) so that I can at least get the basics. If I wanted to get the trainer for 6 months I could pay close to 250 for the next three months. I just don't have that and as much as I would love for that to happen the next three months at 88 are already going to be tight (but doable). After that it goes down to 39 but then I also signed up for 3 years. The good thing is that this is a 24/7 gym so I can go when I am able. I meet with the trainer for the first time on Thursday evening at 6 but the lady who did my sign up told me to go ahead and come tomorrow and she'll get me started on a couple of machines.

I also won a free month of meeting with dietician BUT I'm going to check that out because I'm not signing anything! Anyway, just some thoughts I'm leaving with you- weigh in is tomorrow!

ETA:
Breakfast- cherry vanilla lite yogurt, peanut butter and banana on a whole wheat tortilla
Lunch: leftover pot roast and brown rice, fruit, s-f pudding
Snack: SB snack bar
2nd Snack- SB meal bar (this was about 5)
dinner (about 8)- 1/2 cup of oatmeal with cinnamon, 1/2 of peanut butter and s-f jelly on whole wheat bread, s-f pudding
Water: as of 9:20- 60 ounces plus of water

A New Week

2008-01-27T15:17:00.000-05:00

Well, according to the scale at church-which I think was figured didn't weigh right- I have lost 2 lbs in 2 weeks. Not great but acceptable. I know last time I lost the weight quickly and obviously it didn't stay off which isn't good. I'm thinking if I go slow and steady this time it will stay off better this time. I don't know-just thinking. I'm trying also to decide about gyms. I like the atmosphere at the Y but the cost and the size (which leads to a lack of available machines) are a deterrant. I can go cheaper at two other gyms and then they are building one right down the road. All 3 of the other are 24/7 gyms. I think what I am going to have to do is make wise use of my time while staying after school. Maybe staying on Fridays to get EVERYTHING ready for the next week so I don't have to come in as early. I need to do some thinking and deciding. If you belong to a national gym please let me know what you think of it.

Also, yesterday here in Knoxville they had the Healthy Living Expo. Lots of door prizes (maybe I'll even win one of the gym memberships) and free stuff. I left with a ton of free tip sheets, thoughts, and ideas that I will be sharing gradually. I also found a website today that had 100 tips so I think I will be sharing them a few at a time! I'll start that tomorrow or Tuesday. Actually I think I'll make that part of Weigh-in Tuesday so that it doesn't interfere with Motivational Monday! Have a great week and I'll see you back here tomorrow!

ETA:
Breakfast- SBLiving Cereal Bar, Peanut butter and bananas on whole wheat low carb tortilla
Snack- SB Living Granola clusters
Lunch- as of 3:30 I haven't eaten yet- I know, I know but I am feeling a bit blah and need to clean up the kitchen before eating
Snack- banana
Dinner- pot roast au jus (Hormel), brown rice
Snack- s-f double chocolate pudding
Beverages- as of 3:30 I have had 30 ounces of water; plus 10 more ounces for 40 ounces; and another 10 for 50 ounces

A Website for you!

2008-01-24T19:45:00.000-05:00

I found a website today through the Biggest Loser Couples website while signing up for the daily drawing for the giveaway. I just thought this was very interesting ad I encourage you to go check it out!

Weight Loss for Healthy Eaters

Workout Wednesday

2008-01-23T21:50:00.000-05:00

Well, I did it- I actually got up and worked out this morning. I used the BL cardio dvd again and it didn't seem quite so bad today. In fact, I believe I'm going to go get a little bit heavier weights (right now I have 2 lb) to use with it. I'm not quite ready to move to level 2 or anything though! I'm going to review the BL Power Sculpt DVD. I did this one day last week and it's a good one for those non-cardio days. Not a lot of jumping around in it because it focuses on sculpting the muscles and building them up. You do use the weights but not as often as in the other one. I will definitely be using it again on those off days. I did get a dvd in the mail today that was a trial dvd. It's a Prevention one and it's Dance Yourself Thin. That should be interesting because I'm NOT a dancer but I thought I could use it for the free trial and see if I would use it enough to justify paying for it. I do have several other DVD's and videos that I have used before and will use again just to review so that others can see what is out there. If you have any questions please feel free to let me know!

Not as good as I hoped

2008-01-22T22:18:00.000-05:00

Well, it didn't turn out quite as well as I hoped but I still did lose. .8 pounds for a total of 9.4 lbs. since starting. Not great but again, I haven't exercised worth squat these past two weeks. I am on a tw hour delay for school tomorrow so if I plan on getting up at the same time then I should be able to get a good workout in tomorrow. I know that my attitudewill play a lot into the next few weeks. I will say that I feel like the week flies by!

Great Monday Quote

2008-01-21T16:57:00.000-05:00

First off I want to say that I know I should have exercised today with having the day off but I didn't. I apparently have been exhausted because not only did I have sleep until 8:30 but I then took a two hour nap today. Of course, I did have a mini-migraine earlier. It started while I was out shopping for my Pampered Chef party. If anyone wants to place an order please let me know and I'll send you an email invite and you can place it through the website. I'm excited about hanging out with my friends. I always have fun with that plus we are going to go healthy! Tomorrow morning we have an inservice at school so I'm going to try getting up again at the right time and hopefully exercising. That's my plan anyway.

Here's the quote for today- I found it on the Unity Stamp Company's blog and thought it as appropriate:

"Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not."George Bernard ShawIrish Playwright

Instead of asking, why I am "fat"/overweight, or why can't stop eating- DREAM about what you wish or think you should be and ask why not? If needed, journal your answers. For me-it is sometimes a fear to let the "skinny me" out. I am afraid of rejection and when I'm heavier I know I'm rejected. Does that make sense?

Food Log:

Breakfast- SB cereal bar

Lunch- grilled chicken fillet, apples, grapes, and lowfat yogurt (fruit and walnut salad without the walnuts)

snack- 1 tbs. peanut butter

dinner- 1 serving of Campbell's Chunky sirloin burger soup, s-f jello with whipped topping

beverages- 20 oz. plus 20 oz. equals 40 oz. water as of 7 pm

I'm not a slacker...

2008-01-20T15:51:00.000-05:00

I promise! I really am not- the week was so busy that I ran out of time and the blog was the one thing I let go of when I get busy. Thursday I worked and then babysat and didn't get home until close to midnight. Friday night I worked and then went to a Stamp a Stack. Saturday I went to a flea market (lots of walking), went to the Ohio State vs. UT basketball game (lots of fast walking), and then went straight to a friend's house for game night (where I was good and didn't eat the lasagna!). I haven't been exercising like I should and it shows- I'm pretty much staying stagnant but hopefully I can kickstart it this week. It should be a fairly easy week! We only have three days of school so that will help.

Food Log:
Breakfast-SB cereal bar
snack-1/2 (the bottom, skinny half) of a WHOLE grain bagel, dry roasted peanuts
lunch- 2 grilled chicken patties (from McD's), apple dippers (only the apples)
snack-SB peanut butter cookies and then later s-f pudding with cool whip (light)
dinner-
snack

Beverages- water (I'm going to keep a running total as that makes it easier): 10 oz. plus16.9 oz. equals 26.9 oz. as of 4:00.

Biggest Loser DVD review

2008-01-16T19:09:00.000-05:00

Last week I bought 2 of the BL DVD's to use and finally had a chance to open them this week. I started on Monday with the Cardio one. Oh, my word, it kicked my rear. I'm still sore even on Wednesday. I definitely got a good workout and was wiped out afterwards. I will definitely be doing it again. The one thing I didn't like: when I turned it on and pulled up the menu you have a chance to customize your workout (that part was fine). I would have figured that since the warm up and cool down are pretty much "crucial" to a workout they would have already been programmed in. However, I realized it when I went to do the workout that it doesn't quite work that way. I actually ended up programming the actual workout to start before the warm up so I wan't exactly warmed up the way I wanted to be (I didn't know until it got to the warm up portion). Oh well, live and learn. I now know what to do and was able to adjust for the BL Power Sculpt DVD which I did this morning (I'll review that next week).

If you have any questions please feel free to ask them and I'll get back with you!

Breakfast- scrambled eggs
Lunch- SB 4 Cheese pizza, s-f pudding, cucumbers
Snack- mozzarella cheese
Dinner- bowl of Kashi Heart to Heart cereal (I know, I know don't fuss at me but I wasn't hungry and didn't feel like cooking)
Snack- peanuts (dry-roasted and lightly salted)
Beverages- by 3:00 I had about 70 oz. of water and then I had a 24 oz. dt. mtn. dew. After this dt. dew is finished I will be drinking another bottle of water.

Exercise: 30 minutes (BL Power Sculpt dvd)

Weigh in Tuesday and some thoughts

2008-01-15T20:35:00.000-05:00

Well, I weighed in today and while I didn't do as well as I would have liked I know that once I get going on the workouts it will come. I lost another 2.4 pounds for a total of 8.6 pounds in 2 weeks. I know that the second week is usually the lowest number anyway so again, I should not be disappointed. I have a ton to do tonight so I'll be back tomorrow with a review of the dvd!

Motivational Monday

2008-01-14T19:56:00.000-05:00

I found a great quote over the weekend- I think it came through my email (but I'm not sure). It's by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat."

So, my thought behind that quote- we're all going to have days when we struggle, when we want to eat what is "wrong" for our body- yet even if for that one moment in our day we give in to temptation it doesn't mean that it's the end of our healthy journey. It just means that we have taken a step back and we need to counter with two steps (or more) forward. So, go for it! I encourage you to not give up! Keep up the good work.

Breakfast 3 mini peanut butter cheesecakes (got this phase 1 recipe from a south beach forum- it was GREAT)
Lunch- turkey burger with 2% cheese and no bun, green beans
snack- mozzarella cheese stick
Dinner- scrambled eggs
beverages- 70 ounces of water

30 minutes of exercise- I did the Biggest Loser dvd- the cardio one- oh my goodness! You'll read more about that on Wednesday!

Workout Wednsday

2008-01-09T19:38:00.000-05:00

Well, I didn't actually get a chance to workout today but I'm going to "try" to get up early in the a.m. and try. I bought 2 Biggest Loser workout dvd's yesterday. Kmart had them on sale for 7.99 so I will give those a try first and let you know what I think. I did find this article and if you are pressed for time then it looks like this would be a good workout if you are pressed for time.

http://health.msn.com/fitness/abs/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100171070

Breakfast- scrambled eggs
Lunch: egg salad, s-f jello, 2% cheddar cheese (SB approved)
Dinner: grilled chicken with mozzarella cheese, green beans
Snacks: peanuts, string cheese
Beverages: 24 ounces Dt. Mtn Dew ( I have a few more bottles to finish), as of 7:45 I have had app. 50 oz. of water and have a 20 oz. bottle in front of me.

I did make an extra piece of chicken and cut it up already and went to the store and got romaine lettuce, spinach, snow peas, broccoli and cucumbers and already prepared a salad for lunch tomorrow. I have morning dut tomoorrow so I need to not take time in the am to get ready.

WooHoo!

2008-01-08T21:34:00.000-05:00

Today was weigh in day and I lost 6.2 lbs but even more than that I feel better. I'm still dealing a bit with hunger at times and know that I am still probably not eating all I shoud but I also know that will come. I'm excited about the 6 pounds because that was the weight that I had gained over the holidays so now that's gone and I feel like I'm finally on my way. Being back at school should help quite a bit because I don't have any breaks from 7:30 until 11:00 and then from 11:30 until 1:40 so that takes quite a bit of 'snacking" time away from me. I'm determined to make time for myself and I think that I am going to go buy one of the index card holder/binders. One of our pastors said that at the office store they have ones with tabs so I am planning on getting a couple of those. One for Bible verses to memorize and the other for inspirational quotes and verses that I can share here in the future. You just never know when you are going to come across one and I would love to have it nearby always.

Breakfast- 2 hardboiled eggs (one with yolk and one without), 8 oz. milk
Lunch- turkey burgers, snow peas, string cheese, s-f jello
snacks- almonds
Dinner- grilled chicken filet without bun
water- 70 oz.

Monday, Monday

2008-01-07T18:12:00.000-05:00

Today was back to work- I definitely was not ready as I have extremely enjoyed my break. The good part of today was that it was an inservice day so we don't actually have students until tomorrow. So, a four day week this week, five next week, and then MLK week is 3 days. Monday is the holiday and Tuesday is another inservice day. I'm praying for some snow days in mid February when we are all a little stir-crazy. Today however, I was out in just a sweatshirt and tomorrow they are calling for 72 degrees but then Wednesday it's down to 58.

Today is motivational Monday- I decided for this first M.M. I would share a verse that is one of the reasons that I am doing what I am doing. Those who know me know that I am a follower of Christ and believe the teachings of the Bible. I'm not going to use this forum to "hit people over the head" but I'm not going to step away from what I believe. Therefore, occasionally you will be reading a Bible verse that I feel is timely, inspirational, and truth. That being said let's look at:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.

So, for me, that means everytime I open my mouth and putting food in it- it should be food that will nourish and strengthen my body- not just "stuff". It's why I'm on this journey!

Breakfast: scrambled eggs, 8 oz. milk
Lunch: grilled chicken with cheese and a house salad that was NASTY! (I went to a restaurant whose specialty is noodles- umm, hello- the people I went with didn't tell me this until we were on the way there).
Dinner: turkey burgers with cheese (no bun), snow peas with ICBINB
Snack:
Beverages: all water was gone by 4:45 pm (app. 80 oz.)

New Ideas

2008-01-05T08:21:00.000-05:00

I was thinking last night (which could be dangerous) about things that I could do to pep up my blog and here's what I decided- and it may be hit and miss on some things due to schedule but:

Monday- motivational Monday- inspirational quotes, stories, verses, etc.
Tuesday- weigh in and and reflect
Wednesday- Workout Wednesday- I'll try to find links to new workouts- give workouts a try and then post my review, etc.
Thursday- Themed Thursday - newspaper/magazine articles, tips, and tricks
Friday- Fast Food Friday- I am going to aim for sharing healthy alternatives to typical restaurant choice
Saturday and Sunday will be for post "whatever".

Breakfast 2 eggs, 2 sausage patties with cheese
Lunch - egg salad
Dinner - grilled chicken fillet, house salad with no croutons and no tomatoes, fresh vegetables (Texas Roadhouse)
Snacks 2 Tbs peanut butter
Beverages- by 8:15- 20 ounces of water by 10:30- 40 ounces of water; by 10:30 pm- 90 ounces of water. And the little splenda packet wasn't too bad

Friday

2008-01-04T12:16:00.001-05:00

Well, today is the last day that I have off for vacation. I know technically I have Saturday and Sunday too but I don't count them because I always have them! I have thoroughly enjoyed my break. I think it's helped me get back on track with this journey because I have the time and energy to devote to it right now. It's given me a good start.

Breakfast- 4 bacon slices (which was equal to one serving)
Lunch- 2 grilled chicken filets from Chick-Fil-A ( I was eating in the car so I couldn't do a salad) without bun
snack- about 10 almonds, s-f jello with whipped topping
dinner- deli turkey heated up with cheese on top (sb approved)
Beverages: water- as of 12- 40 ounces; as of 6 80 oz.

Okay- two things that I need to increase are my veggies- I'm not a fan of raw veggies although I do have cucumbers in the house and I like them raw and my fiber. I have metamucil so I am probably going to have add that in in the afternoons. When I go back to school it will be when my kids leave for the day. Now, tomorrow I am going to Texas Roadhouse for dinner and I am planning on grilled chicken, house salad no croutons, and fresh veggies with water to drink! have a fabulous evening and superb saturday.

Check out this article!

2008-01-03T21:00:00.000-05:00

I am including this link because I thought this was an intersting article. To do this I will have to go the gym because I don't have the facilities at home to do so- I have been paying to go so I should be going!

http://health.msn.com/fitness/womens-fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100172177

Howdy!

2008-01-03T12:46:00.000-05:00

Happy Thursday to all of you! Hope your day is going well. I'm a little sad that I'm down to my last day and a half of vacation but I am looking forward to a fresh start. I'll tell you what though- I'm not sure how I'm going to get my water down when school starts back up- I feel like I could float away. I'll do it though. Yesterday it took me all day to get it all and then today I have half of my water already done and it's not quite 1:00. I have a hard time when I go to restaurants drinking the water there so today when I was out shopping I found some new little packets of lemon and raspberry flavoring. I have had the Crystal Light before (and yes, they are legal) and I have a bunch in the house that I should use but this one was by Splenda. So, I'm going out to eat on Saturday evening and I will take a couple of these with me to give a try. Anyone tried these already? Well, I have to go meet someone so I'll close here and try to come back with some tips from an article I printed out!

Breakfast- 2 sausage patties
Lunch- oven roasted turkey from the deli (app. 5 slices), s-f jello with light whipped topping
dinner 3 eggs (scrambled), 3 pieces of bacon
snacks 1 tbs of peanut butter
beverages- as of 12:50- 33.8 ounces by 7 pm-73.8 ounces

Biggest Loser Couples and Day 2

2008-01-02T10:04:00.000-05:00

Did anyone watch the Biggest Loser couples last night. I was really surprised by the amount of weight loss the teams showed. I guess the reason was that they focused more on the teams since it was an introduction night and less on the exercise and eating. I haven't yet picked a "favorite"- how about you? Have a fave couple you are rooting for? One thing I was impressed with was the Brita partnership and the wanting to help the earth. I signed up for the coupon because that's one thing that I need to do- I go through so many bottles of water when I just need to break down and buy the filter. I have tried the pitcher before but I always forget it's there so I need to go ahead and get the faucet mount and set it up. The new water thing to my right came from there.

Now, for today- I got up (although not as early as I wanted) and did the elliptical for 27 minutes and then cooled down for 3. Not a bad start and I was sweating!

Food Log:
Breakfast- bacon and eggs
Lunch-1 tbs. peanut butter, app. 3 slices of oven roasted turkey breast (from the deli)
Dinner -2 turkey burgers with cheese (no bun), green beans (leftovers from yesterday)
Snacks
Beverages- 10 oz. water as of 10, up to 30 oz. by 3; up to 50 oz by 7; up to 70 oz. by 10

New Year, New Outlook, New Tickers!

2008-01-01T13:21:00.000-05:00

We'll start by saying Happy New Year to all of you! I don't even know if anyone reads this or if I'm talking to myself (which is okay I guess in this forum). If you do read this just briefly comment on this post- it will give me an idea of who is on the journey with me. I'm starting off this new year with a new outlook- I started the trek to this new outlook several weeks ago and I have started. I'm going to go back to posting what my daily menu has looked like, recipes I have tried and liked, pictures of recipes, answering questions (if anyone has them), posting articles and links to articles as I read them, etc. The one thing I won't be posting is a "before" picture of me. I have one in my face on a friend's Facebook account and I'm ready to get beyond that. I will post an after pic when I reach my goal. New tickers. I adjusted my weight ticker to reflect where I am starting because I gained and gained more than I lost previously. So, in an effort at honesty I am starting there. I even bought a new scale (The Biggest Loser scale with a free sample dvd) that does tenths of pounds (which I need). My scale at the top- I am looking at 500 minutes of exercise. When I reach that I'll start all over again. For every 500 minutes of exercise I am going to "reward" myself. Probably with a new movie, new something- anything BUT food. I figure if I can get 100 minutes of exercise a week

Food Log for 1/1/08
Breakfast- 2 large eggs- scrambled with an ounce of cheese
Lunch- Chick-Fil-A grilled chicken filet (without bun), side salad w/1 tbs of ranch dressing
snack- 1 ounce of almonds (app. 20)
Dinner- 2 turkey burgers with 2% cheese (no bun), green beans with I can't Believe it's not butter spray
Beverages- Water- as of 6:30- I have had about 75 ounces (I have about 5 ounces left in the bottle I am drinking) and one 12 ounce bottle of Diet Mtn. Dew

Forgot one thing

2007-12-31T17:44:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow morning I am starting off with a whole new ticker- my scale ticker will be changed to reflect where I am starting and my other ticker- I can't decide if I'm going to do "miles" walked or minutes exercised. If I know it's going to be there for the world to see- well, you better believe I'll want to update it!

Out with the Old and In with the New!

2007-12-31T17:39:00.000-05:00

well, almost! There are still a few hours left in 2007. So, as I reflect on 2007 this is what I see. I see that I am not happy in my own skin. I'm happy inside- joyful and content- but I'm not happy with the outside. I see that I am extremely blessed. I have a wonderful family who supports me 100% in everything I do. I had the opportunity to see two new countries this summer and hopefully I will get to do more traveling this coming summer. I see that my job is stressing me out more and more and I'm a stress eater! I don't do well with eating healthy when I'm stressed! Therefore, I'm going to take more time for "me" in 2008 to decrease my stress level and get the stress eating back under control. Most importantly, I see a person who is ready to change. I'm ready to begin this new life tomorrow. I'm ready to focus on my relationships- with God and with others. I'm ready to change my life for the better. I hope you'll join me in that journey! Have a safe and happy new year! See you in 2008- ready to make a difference!

Well, I did it!

2007-12-22T22:03:00.000-05:00

I joined the Biggest Loser Online Club. I did it mainly for the recipes and the challenges- plus the weekly weigh-ins will be good for me. I'm starting January 1 when the new season starts. I know what's coming up between now and then (Christmas and New Year's Eve) and I'll eat as healthy as I can in the next week but I'm not actually starting until then! I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Biggest Loser Million Pound Match

2007-12-18T22:00:00.000-05:00

Wow- I'm watching the Biggest Loser finale and I'm just so in awe. I told my friend that if they can do it then I can do it. The new season starts January 1 and they are doing a million pound match. Go sign up for the details here Let's do this together!

ETA: The actual site is not up yet- the link takes you to a place where you can enter your email to be notified of the opening!

Link to swap

2007-11-29T20:22:00.000-05:00

Here's a link to the South Beach swap over on SCS- I hope some of you can join me!

Still not going all that great but I'm looking ahead to the end of this week when things should be better after the weekend.

Yes, I'm still Around

2007-11-27T21:30:00.000-05:00

I know it doesn't seem like I am- things have been really crazy and not all that great. Work has been better this week. I definitely needed the Thanksgiving vacation and I did a lot of soul-searching over break and realize that I can't expect my students to change but I can be the one to change. I am reprioritizing things within the next week. I am being observed tomorrow so I have been focusing on that tonight and getting ready for that but I do know that I am making myself leave work by 4:00 until I start tutoring (which will be soon). I have yet to use the elliptical and I would use it in the morning BUT I already get up at 5:00 and I don't know that I could get up much earlier. So, I'll have to adjust for that. I also have gained some of my weight back and so that's another reason I need to adjust. Two big thins have been happening that have made me realize the importance of reaching my goal and getting moving. My mom has to check her sugar everyday to keep track of it and I know that I am predisposed to diabetes so I need to change that but you know- it's hard to change a lifetime of bad habits. The second thing- I have been watching The Biggest Loser this season and it's been eye-opening and an inspiration- here these people have given up over 3 months with their families to change their lives- I don't want to get to that point- I need to make that change NOW! So, here we go again. If anyone is interested- I'm hosting a swap on SCS for South Beach recipes. If anyone is signing up let me know and I'll get you the link so you can sign up. I would love to have you! Thanks for the encouragement and I want to encourage everyone else out there not to give up!

I am still here!

2007-11-04T16:31:00.000-05:00

There has been a ton of stuff going on and I'm not doing well on my goals. I haven't kept track of anything including my steps in about two weeks. I know that I need to get back on the ball but I'm really disheartened with my job right now and have no energy for anything other than that. I have put off doing anything related to my job all weekend. I leave for church in about an hour so I will be grading papers when I returne and then I need to sit down and figure out a plan because I know that I can't keep going on like this. I know my weight and lack of exercise as well as lack of motivation is not helping me at all in the fight for the prize. All that to say, I'm still here and will return to this faithfully this week!

Fall Break

2007-10-20T21:30:00.000-04:00

Well, fall break is officially here. I've been really stressed and I know that because I have been angry this week. I never get angry with my students- never lose my temper in front of them. I don't tend to cry in front of them (I just wait until they leave). I do get frustrated and upset but never angry. Wed. I got angry enough that I hit my desk with my hand (several think they can just go touch anything and everything on it)and bruised my hand good. The whole lower part of my thumb and the palm area underneath my thumb were black and blue and swollen. Plus I had some soreness in my wrist. I'm at my wit's end with this group. We have been in school for 10 weeks and with a few of them- nothing has changed. I have three students that if they weren't in my class- wow, it would be an awesome class- we would get so much done. I'm spending my fall break with my family and while they are working on Monday and Tuesday I am going to spend some of that time doing some heart searching and seeking to find answers. My parents live in a fairly quiet neighborhood so I may even throw on my workout clothes and go for a walk in the mornings and just spend some time in prayer. Needless to say- things are not going so great and being on vacation is going to be a bit stressful food wise but I'm going to try which is what I need to do.

Let's see what else has happened this week?? I got an Orbitrek (which is like an elliptical) for $40 from a friend who was selling it at a yard sale (she wanted $80 but she sold it to me for half that). I have it set up in my living room- right in front of where my new computer is going to be (yes, I bought a new computer). Oh, and one more thing, I finally started getting the emails for the rock on, walk on challenge on Wednesday I think. Have a great Sunday!

Starting Over

2007-10-12T22:45:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm thinking I need to start over on South Beach. For me- I know that SB is the way that I need to go because I'm so addicted to carbs. And unfortunately they like me :(. So, I'll start over and try again. And, I'm hoping to get back to posting daily soon. Hopefully the next 9 weeks will be a little les crazy (we are on a 9 week grading period). One more week and it's fall break. i can't wait!

I did walk 6 miles today- I was walking all over the school building today.

Good Day (Health Wise)

2007-10-08T20:47:00.000-04:00

I did it! I met with a friend (who is trying to quit a bad habit) to go for a walk and we walked right at 2 miles and that doesn't include the miles for the day. Plus, I did fairly well food wise.

Breakfast- cereal with skim milk
lunch- chicken parmesan, rice pilaf, sweet potato fries, fruit
dinner- turkey burger, creamsicle

snack- fiber one granola bar, curves granola bar, whole wheat sb crackers

dt. dew, 4 bottles of water.

Hope everyone is doing well! Off to check out everyone's blogs!

Saturday

2007-10-06T22:49:00.000-04:00

Today was a morning spent with some friends at their yard sale as they tried to get rid of stuff. I actually ended up leaving about 10:00ish and did a couple of errands and then was home by 12:30. I then took a nap, graded some papers, played on the computer and then graded the rest of the papers. I even had a chance to create a card but I can't show it yet because it's for a swap and I can't show it until the saps have been swapped out.

As for the challenge- well, I broke my pedometer again. Has anyone found a pedometer that stays on the pants. Everytime I go to the bathroom (which if I'm drinking my water is a lot) it falls off. It finally completely broke yesterday so I'm on a hun again for another one. This is why I don't want to spend a lot on a pedometer because it's just going to break. I didn't start out my day great but well, it's Saturday.

I did have 2 sausage, egg, and cheese mcmuffins
pb sandwich, bowl of cereal, 1 serving of parmesan basil wheat thins

I also had only 2 bottles of water. I just have a hard time on the weekends drinking my water.

On a good note this past week was my first observation (due to switching grades) and it actually went well- much better than I hoped. It's one of those things that I expect perfection and I sometimes forget that they are first graders and they are only 6. I'm going to get back on track with this because it's the accountability issue for me I will say that I have yet to get any emails for the walking challenge and I have signed up three or four times.

Hope you all have had a great Saturday!

Yikes- I'm still here!

2007-10-02T20:46:00.000-04:00

Breakfast- 1/2 pb sandwich, sb cereal bar, 8 oz. skim milk, 1 cup grapes
lunch- roast beef, 2 cups brown rice, 1 cup grapes, s-f pudding
dinner- 1 turkey burger, green beans, mini bowl of warm delights (150 calories)

pm snack- fiber one bar, and about 2 hours later, sb crackers and special k bar

I'm still here

2007-09-27T21:28:00.000-04:00

I promise- life has just been really crazy this past week and I have been keeping up with my steps and miles but not my posts. I need to get back on track- I haven't lost or gained antyhing though!

Saturday

2007-09-22T18:00:00.000-04:00

Well, I didn't so hot these last two days but tomorrow starts a new week and it's payday this week which means I can stock up on the "good for you foods". I am joining in with Maria and Gail to start the Leslie Sansone program that starts October 1. Please join us and if you nave any questions just go to Marias blog (Journey to Skinnyville- in my blogroll) and click her link. I hate trying to put a link in blogger so I do it as little as possible. In the last two days I have walked 4 miles total. I actually forgot my pedometer yesterday but I just took an estimate and today I only walked about 2 miles BUT about 1/2 mile of that was uphill.

Tagged

2007-09-19T21:44:00.000-04:00

Before I fill out the Tag (from Gail) I went back and checked out my previous post with my first cholesterol level- it was 226. That's pretty good progress! Woohoo!!!

Anyway, here's the tag:

Tagged
There is a new tag game going on in blogland.Here goes...

Four places I have lived.
1. Terre Haute, IN
2. Knoxville, TN
3. St. Petersburg, FL
4. Akron, OH (where I was born)

Four places I have been on vacation.
1. Seattle, WA
2. Pittsburgh, PA
3. Athens, Greece
4. Timisoara, Romania

Four of my favorite foods.
1. Grilled Chicken
2. Fruit
3. Green Beans
4. Potatoes (only I'm not supposed to eat them!)

Four places I would rather be right now.
1. Greece
2. Romania
3. Indiana (with my parents)
4. Ohio (with my nephew)

Four friends most likely to respond.
I don't know- Heather (Stampin' the Details), Kristina (Balance), Toni (Stampin Diva), Tami (Broken4Him)

This is actually a fun tag because it is a way to get know a bit more about those who you tag!

A quick Post- good news

2007-09-19T21:13:00.000-04:00

I gave blood about a month ago and got the results yesterday. My non-fasting cholesterol level was 189 which was tremendously better than in May when I gave blood last. I told someone it makes all the grilled chicken and fruit and salads when I really want chicken nuggets and fries- taste a whole lot better! Even though I didn't lose anything this week (that's two weeks at the same number- I'm okay with knowing that number went down. It just gives me the incentive/motivation to kick it up a notch!

Breakfast- 1/2 pb sandwich, sb cereal bar
lunch- deli chicken with spinach, and cheese on a low carb wheat wrap, s-f pudding, apple
pm snack- 100 calorie sb snack bar, sb wheat crackers
dinner- grilled chicken fillet, fruit cup and dt. coke from Chick-Fil-A
snack0 1/2 pb sandwich

water- about 50 ounces, plus, diet mtn. dew

Thanks for reading and keep working hard. I walked about 4.4 miles.

Also- I have addresses for 3 of you (Gail, Maria, and Lynette) to send cards (I have two of them ready) so I would love to an address for any of my readers to send a note of encouragment. Just email me at zephan3.17@juno.com and let me know your full name and full address.

Tuesday

2007-09-18T19:23:00.000-04:00

Today was an okay day- a long one but okay. We have no kids on Friday so it's helping some to know that's coming.

breakfast: SB cereal bar, peanut butter sandwich
lunch: rotisserie chicken (deli) with cheese, lf ranch, spinach leaves on a wheat low carb tortilla, s-f pudding, apple with pb
pm snack: whole wheat crackers (SB) and a SB 100 calorie bar
dinner: turkey burger and 1 cup brown rice

water: I believe that I drank the majority of the water that I needed to (I drank 4 bottles which is about 68 oz.)

I walked right at 3 miles today so I'm off to add that to my count and tomorrow is weigh-in day (oh, yippee!)

Whew- I'm back

2007-09-17T21:09:00.000-04:00

It was not a great weekend or last week. I did fine food-wise (I could have done better) but I survived! I am back though. Tomorrow I'll start back with the food/water details. I also finally got a new pedometer and I think it's going to work! I found at 20 dollar pedometer at Target on clearance for about 13 dollars. It showed I walked 13,000 steps today- which the pedometer shows as 7.81 miles- which is odd because I thought most pedometers said that every 2000 miles is a mile...so.... I will go with 7.5 miles (I'll give myself the benefit of the doubt since I didn't record yesterday's. Hope everyone has had a good day!

Busy Busy Week

2007-09-14T18:49:00.000-04:00

This was an extremely busy week! I also have a ton to do this weekend- a lot of grading! It will get done but I am determined to create some cards and projects also! My plan is to do some reading tonight and then tomorrow do some cleaning in the morning, grading in the afternoon, and then creating in the evening! I'm just so tired right now as it is. I am not noting my intake for the past week but I already updated my walking- I put app. 9 miles for the week (again, I'm sure it was a bit more but I haven't bought anew pedometer yet. Talk to you soon!

Busy!

2007-09-12T23:09:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to touch base and say I'm still here. I will update everything tomorrow night. I didn't lose anything- but I didn't gain anything either. I didn't do so well this week so I need to get back on track. Hope all is going well for everyone!

Monday!- Blech!!!

2007-09-10T20:02:00.000-04:00

Today was a crazy day- kids all over the school were getting in trouble- my kids came in the classroom in bad moods and my ones who usually get in trouble- had pretty good days. i'm starting to think about options that I have and will have. I know that God has placed me at this school for a reason and a season- I'm just starting to wonder if the season is almost over. I leave drained every day- and I actually left things today at school- I am not ready for tomorrow but I needed to leave. That being said here's the stats for the day:

I believe I walked over two miles but I'll have to go with two miles so I'm pretty sure that I did at least that.

Breakfast: hard boiled egg, cheese, milk
lunch: 1/2 chicken sandwich with cheese, 1/2 hard boiled egg, s-f chocolate pudding, curves granola bar
pm snack- special K protein bar and string cheese. I also ate one of the new 3 Musketeers mint flavored candy bars. They come in two small pieces and I ate one. I might be buying the minis bag and putting them in the freezer (that way I won't eat as many at a time)- I think I might be able ration myself that way! They are really good and they have dark chocolate
dinner: turkey burgers with cheese, 1 cup brown rice, and 1 cup green beans - this was a REALLY good meal!! Have a great day!